Tribals Kidnap Two, Release them Later

The Hindu, Saturday, June 14, 1997.

Eluru, June 13: The Koya tribals of Lankalapalli in Jeelugumilli mandal of West Godavari kidnapped a non-tribal leader, Mr. Pullaiah Dora and a forest watcher, Mr. Adinarayana Rao, on Thursday night, demanding the release of two tribals and a truck laden with mangoes, arrested and seized by the police earlier.

According to reports, the police arrested Bhadram and Ramudu, both tribals and confiscated a truck along with five tonnes of mangoes following a complaint by A. Subbaiah, that the crop was being taken away forcibly by the tribals from his from his 7 acre garden.

Reacting to the police action, the tribals stopped an RTC bus, on its way from Jangareddigudem to Ankannagudem, around midnight near Lankalapalli and abducted Mr. Pullaiah Dora, a former village magistrate of Poochikapadu and the forest watcher, who weeere not connected with the land dispute but travelling by the bus. The tribals demanded the release of the arrested and the fruit to free the kidnapped.

The Additional Superintendent of Police, Mr. Laxmi Reddy and the Jangareddigudem Dy. S.P. Mr. Brahma Reddy, who were camping at Jeelugumilli, held negotiations with the tribals through the two arrested persons for the release of the kidnapped.

The Joint Collector, Mr. M. Subramanyam, who monitored the situation from here, said that the tribals accepted the arrangement, according to which, the amount fetched from the sale of five tonnes of mangoes would be deposited with the Mandal Revenue Officer until the ownership of the land was established. The tribals, who claimed ownership over the land, were reported to have told the officials that they would withdraw the claim if the non-tribal farmer established his right.

The proceeds from the sale of the fruit would be given to the rightful owner after verification of the documents. The Joint Collector said the kidnapped would be set free the moment the truck was moved to the market. Both the non-tribal farmer and a representative of tribals would accompany the truck to the market.

Initial verification by the revenue authorities suggest that A. Subbaiah was the owner of the 24-acre plot (Survey No. 4/1) on which the mango plantation was raised. But tribals claimed that they cleared the forest and raised the plantation. It is said that since the time the land was claimed as disputed by tribals a few years ago, the crop was being shared equally by the non-tribal farmer and tribals of the village. However, tribals collected the entire crop this year, which annoyed and provoked the non-tribal farmer to lodge a complaint with the police.

Mr. Pullaiah Dora Mr. Adinarayana were set free at 5.30 p.m. near Lankalapalli on Friday, according to reports reaching here.

As agreed upon during the negotiations, the two arrested tribals - Ramudu and Bhadram - and the truck escorted by the two sons of Mr. Pullaiah and a few constables arrived at Lankalapalli at 4.30 p.m. The tribals brought the kidnapped who were lodged in a farm house about a kilometre from the village and handed over to Mr. Pullaiah's sons. Immediately they were driven to Jeelugumilli police station where senior officers were camping.

Meanwhile, the fruit laden truck escorted by two tribal leaders, the non-tribal farmer and his son left for the market.

VAO Kidnapped, Released by Tribals

Indian Express

Eluru, June 13: Tension has once again gripped the agency mandal of Jeelugumilli in West Godavari district following yet another kidnap by tribals. The tribals whisked away a former VAO of Ankannagudem Dasari Pullaiah and a Forest Department watchman Adinarayana from an RTC bus at Lankalapalli late last night. The kidnap was a sequel to the arrest of two tribal youths by the police.

On a complaint by a non-tribal farmer Alli Nageswara Rao, the police yesterday arrested tribals youths Payam Veerabhadram and Geega Venkatrayudu for reaping of mango crop in a garden at Rachnnagudem belonging to the complainant. The police also seized about 5 tonnes of mango fruit and a lorry of which it was loaded besides apprehending the lorrydriver.

In retaliation to the arrest, the tribals kidnapped the former VAO and watchman after detaining the bus at Lankalapalli.

Informed of the incident, Additional Superientendent of Police K. Lakshmi Reddy, Jangareddigudem DSP J. Brahma Reddy, K. R. Puram ITDA project officer Anil Kumar Singhal and Kovvur Sub Collector Sabyasachi Ghosh rushed to the mandal to assess the situation.

Contending that the entire extent of mango garden belonged to them, the tribals reaped the fruit with a view to encashing it at Aswaraopet. The tribals demanded that they would not release their hostages until the arrested tribals youths were released.

However, following an agreement that was reached during discussions held today between the Revenue and Police officials and tribals, the latter agreed to release the hostages. After the police sent the arrested tribals and the seized lorry back to the hamlet, the tribals freed their hostages on the condition that the records pertaining to the disputed extent of land belonging to the non-tribal farmer be verified.

Also, it was resolved that the seized fruit be sold and the sale proceeds deposited with the mandal revenue officer. It was also agreed that the amount be given away to tribals if the farmer failed to prove his right on the land.

Leftists Settle Score at Seminar of Tribal Issue

Friday, June 20, 1997.

Jangareddigudem, June 19: The seminor purporting to bring about a recipe for the burning problem of the land issue in the agency between the tribals and non-tribals as initiated by the CPI turned out covertly for settling scores with the sister party, CPI(M) on Thursday.

Such an impression has gained ground with the speeches made by the MP. Mr. Sode Ramaiah, MLAs, Mr. Vanka Satyanarayana and Mr. Puvvada Nageswara Rao, who lambasted the CPI(M) by openly mentioning the party's name in their virulent, but verbal attack on the CPI(ML). The only exception in this milieu was the Polavaram MLA, Mr. Punem Singanna Dora. Of course, the scant attendance of the tribals to the seminar prompted the managers of the seminar to use the platform for the spitting venom on the CPI(M), placing the core item, solidarity between tribal and non-tribals, on the backburrner. The audience comprised the TDP cadre and non-tribals, but the tribals were conspicuous by their absence.

The CPI secretary of the area, Mr. Dega Prabhakar, stated that the seminar was aimed to get a recipe for the problems emanating from the 1/70 Act regarding the use of the agency land by tribals and non-tribals. The speech of the CPI State Secretary and the Khamam MLA, Mr. Puvvada Nageswara Rao, seemed to carry much conviction. The twisting and dubious attitude adopted by the CPI(M) regarding the 1/70 Act which the party amended in Kerala was reflected in its keeping a low profile in Andhra Pradesh without stressing the modification of the Act, said Mr Nageswara Rao.

He asked the CPI(M) why it did not make it an issue in Andhra Pradesh while it was implementing the tribal-oriented Acts vigourously in Tripura. He said his party was waging are uncomprising struggle for the last 10 years seeking to amend the Act accordingly.

He underlined the convening of the all-party meeting to bring about a solution for the burning problem sparked off by the 1/70 Act. He reminded that the Estates Abolition Act 1948 could be made applicable to the agency lands. He expressed anguish that the constitutional right to live any where in the country was sabotaged by the Act and hence its amendment was necessary, he stressed.